Hero
英雄
“One man's strength will unite an empire.”
Synopsis
During China's Warring States period, a district prefect arrives at the palace of Qin Shi Huang, claiming to have killed the three assassins who had made an attempt on the king's life three years ago.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2016-07-13
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Jet Li
Nameless
Tony Leung Chiu-wai
Broken Sword
Maggie Cheung
Flying Snow
Donnie Yen
Sky
Zhang Ziyi
Moon
Chen Daoming
King of Qin
Liu Zhongyuan
Old Scholar
Zheng Tianyong
Old Servant
Qin Yan
Prime Minister
Zhang Yakun
The Qin Guards' Commander
Chang Xiao Yang
General
Jin Ming
Eunuch
Ma Wen Hua
Head Eunuch
Shou Xin Wang
Musician
Xu Kuang Hua
Pianist
Hei Zi
Qin Guard
Cao Hua
Qin Guard
Lei Li
Qin Guard
Release History & Theatrical Window
Berlin International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
August 27, 2004
Wide Cinema Exhibition
February 19, 2008
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$31M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$177.4M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
5.72x
+$146.4M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Zhang Yimou
- Screenplay & Story
- Feng Li, Zhang Yimou, Wang Bin
- Original Score
- Tan Dun
- Original Title
- 英雄
- Country of Origin
- Hong Kong, China
- Spoken Languages
- Mandarin
- Runtime
- 1h 39m
- Production Budget
- $31M
- Worldwide Gross
- $177.4M
- Production Studios
- Beijing New Picture Film Co. Ltd., China Film Co-Production, Elite Group Enterprises, Edko Films, Sil-Metropole Organisation, Zhang Yimou Studio
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Zhang Yimou
Feng Li, Zhang Yimou, Wang Bin
Tan Dun
Christopher Doyle
Ru Zhai, Angie Lam On-Yee, Vincent Lee
Zhang Zhenyan, Bill Kong, Zhang Weiping, Shoufang Dou, Zhang Yimou
Department Leadership Roster
Christopher Doyle
Director of Photography
Tingxiao Huo
Production Design
Zhang Zhenyan
Producer
Zhang Yimou
Director
Bill Kong
Producer
Ru Zhai
Editor
Angie Lam On-Yee
Editor
Tan Dun
Original Music Composer
Zhang Yimou
Producer
Vincent Lee
Editor
Zhenzhou Yi
Production Design
Emi Wada
Costume Design
Feng Li
Writer
Zhang Yimou
Writer
Wang Bin
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Suitable only for 12 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Hero.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Hero.
New English Movies
New in English
Dual Audio Hindi Movies
Automated renaming to: Dual Audio Hindi Movies
Dual Audio Hindi Movies Above 7
Automated renaming to: Dual Audio Hindi Movies Above 7
Movie Collection
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
Similar Titles to Hero
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
7.8
7.5
8.3
7.6
7.4
6.7
7.4
6.5
8.4
7.1
7.3
8.1
8.3
7.1
7.4
6.3
8.0
6.4
8.0
7.1
More Like Hero
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hero
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Hero about?
During China's Warring States period, a district prefect arrives at the palace of Qin Shi Huang, claiming to have killed the three assassins who had made an attempt on the king's life three years ago.
Who directed Hero?
Hero was directed by Zhang Yimou.
Who stars in Hero?
The principal cast of Hero includes Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Maggie Cheung, Donnie Yen, Zhang Ziyi.
When was Hero released and how long is it?
Hero was released in 2002 with a total runtime of 1h 39m.
What was the box office and production budget of Hero?
Hero had a reported production budget of $31M and grossed $177.4M at the worldwide box office (5.72 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Hero?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Hero was composed by Tan Dun.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Hero?
Hero holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); GB: 12 (Suitable only for 12 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).